Saturday, July 11, 2015

Great Wall Trek, Day Seven: Wang Jing Tower. June 27, 2015

6.24 kilometers with 539 meters of elevation gain.

Our last day on the Wall! Today's trek took us to Wang Jing Tower, the watch tower that looks toward Beijing City. We drove up a windy, narrow mountain road and parked by a private house (the owner allows our tour guide access). The trail was steep, and it was HOT and humid (90 degrees+). Thankfully, it only took an hour or so for us to hoof it up. We are used to steep, but we aren't used to hot.

This part of the Wall looks like something out of a fairy tale...

Almost there!

Wang Jing is too crumbly to safely go inside, so we sat in the sun and took in the views.

The view of the nearby tower.

The girls with Wang Jing Tower behind them.

Jimmy, Alex, me, Sage, Hugh, and Mr. Lee...

Alex posing for Sage...

Mr. Lee....

Sage (trying to pose in direct sunlight)...

Heading down...

Looking back at the Tower...

Sage lifting up a rock so we can sit in the shade...

Almost down...

Happy hikers...

Lunch at the guest house...

It was back to the city after we ate. The girls and Hugh left the next morning and headed to Hong Kong; I came back to New Hampshire. Alex and Sage will be back in the States tonight -- can't wait to see them.

I will post some notes on various details of the weather, culture, and other matters in my next entry. I should have that up by Sunday evening.